The present invention relates to a method for determining an end of tailback in road traffic and relevant devices.
Road traffic tailbacks are a nuisance occurring worldwide, which is also associated with considerable economic losses.
For this reason, there have been tailback signaling and tailback warning devices and relevant institutions for a long time. For example, there are tailback warning panels which warn against possible tailbacks on approach roads to freeways, electronic tailback warning signs on freeways which attempt to prevent or to moderate tailbacks by means of suitable speed limits and information signs or also tailback warning messages in radios or warning information for navigation systems.
A relatively new approach consists in sending movement information automated to an evaluation service by means of a smartphone application.
This service needs relatively high battery power of the smartphone since movement information has to be sent regularly to the tailback service operator in order to provide for relevant information on whether a tailback is arising and in which section it is currently present. It has to be expected that an increasing number of users sets their readiness for conveying corresponding data on the basis of considerations of the data protection law as a precaution. The reliability of such tailback detection services would presumably suffer from this.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a possibility which reliably enables tailbacks and their limits to be detected, in doing so to save batteries of mobile radio devices and additionally to preserve the privacy of mobile radio device users.
It is the aim of the invention to propose a possibility which avoids or at least prevents at least a part of the disadvantages known in the prior art.
In this context, the subject matter of the main claim relates to a method for determining an end of tailback in road traffic, the method exhibiting: providing a signal quality map for a cell of a base station of a mobile radio system, the signal quality map having overview information about signal qualities occurring within the cell; determining signal quality information for each mobile radio communication device connected to the base station; determining a probability density function based on the corresponding signal quality information determined; determining a location of the probability density function having a function gradient which corresponds to an angular amount of at least 75° with respect to a horizontal function axis of the probability density function, preferably an angular amount between 80° and 90°, especially preferably to an angular amount between 85° and 90°. In this context, the location is indicative of a tailback limit in the cell of the base station. And determining of a location of the tailback limit based on the location determined and the signal quality map.
In this context, the method steps can be carried out automated.
A signal quality map in the sense of the invention can then have information which provides a reference about respective current signal qualities at various positions on the map. Thus, the signal qualities of a cell of a base station can be mapped. It can thus be provided for that with an incoming signal of a mobile radio communication device to the base station, by means of the signal quality of this incoming radio link, the position of the corresponding mobile radio communication device can be determined more precisely by being shown in the signal quality map at which position or at which positions in the signal quality map the corresponding signal quality of the incoming signal is registered. If the mobile radio communication device is in motion, the variation of position can be determined by means of the different signal qualities then occurring being matched to the signal qualities registered in the signal quality map, and thus the current position can be determined even more precisely.
Signal quality information in the sense of the invention can here be information which allows a statement about the signal quality with which a mobile radio communication device is sending. The signal quality can be measured at the base station and it is thus possible to infer the signal quality of the transmitter, that is to say the mobile radio communication device, on the basis of the measured signal quality at the receiver, that is to say the base station.
A probability density function in the sense of the invention can then be a function which allows a statement about how various mobile radio communication devices are distributed within this probability density function. As a result, it is possible to determine mobile radio communication devices which are located in a tailback with a certain probability.
In this context, signal quality values of mobile radio communication devices which belong to vehicles which are located in the tailback have a strong correlation since vehicles in the tailback are close to one another. Accordingly, these also have a high probability of occurrence since the number of vehicles, or the vehicle density, respectively, within a tailback is large, as a rule.
The signal quality values of mobile radio communication devices which belong to vehicles which are not located in a tailback have instead no or only little correlation since the spatial distance between these vehicles is larger. The probability of occurrence is correspondingly also lower since the number of vehicles or, respectively, the vehicle density is lower at a location outside a tailback.
A tailback limit in the sense of the invention can be considered to mean both the start and the end of an occurring traffic tailback or traffic tailback area, respectively.
By means of the teaching according to the invention, the advantage is achieved that, without installing an additional application in a smartphone, tailbacks can be detected by means of mobile radio communication devices. Furthermore, it is also possible, by means of the teaching according to the invention, to determine a tailback limit and thus a tailback start and a tailback end of the relevant tailback. This can take place by means of the standard communication occurring naturally between a base station and mobile radio communication devices located within the cell of the base station. Thus, no additional communication data occur and it is also possible to obtain non-additional use-specific information by which means the private sphere of persons is not impaired more than is legally intended. Due to the fact that no additional communication data occur, the batteries of the corresponding mobile radio communication devices contributing to the tailback detection service are not loaded more than usually with respect to energy and are thus preserved. Furthermore, due to the fact that no additional communication data occur, additional transaction costs of the users of the mobile radio communication devices cannot occur.
The subject matter of a subordinate claim relates to a system for detecting a tailback end in road traffic, the system exhibiting: a base station of a mobile radio system; a signal measuring device and a signal analysis device. In this context, the base station is configured to manage mobile radio communication devices connected to the base station and to transmit at least a part of a signal conveyed to the base station to the signal measuring device. The signal measuring device is configured to determine a signal quality of the signal conveyed to the base station and to transmit the signal quality determined to the signal analyzing device. And in this context, the signal analyzing device is configured to carry out a method according to the invention.
In this context, a base station in the sense of the invention can be a device which is suitable for providing for the communication of mobile radio communication devices in that it manages the mobile communication devices and appropriately routes links in each case coming from them or going to them in order to establish or maintain the desired connections.
A signal measuring device in the sense of the invention can then have a device which is configured to determine the signal strength and/or signal quality of an incoming link and to provide corresponding signal quality information.
A signal analyzing device in the sense of the invention can then have a device which is suitable for evaluating a corresponding signal quality information item and to execute with this a corresponding method according to the invention.
By means of the teaching according to the invention, the advantage is achieved that due to the fact that the technology for tailback detection is arranged distributed outside the mobile radio communication devices involved and tailbacks can be detected by means of mobile radio communication devices without installing an additional application on a smartphone, by means of the standard communication occurring naturally between a base station and mobile radio communication devices located within the cell of the base station, as a result of which no additional communication data thus occur and no additional user-specific information can be obtained either, as a result of which the private sphere of persons is not impaired any more than is legally intended. Due to the fact that no additional communication data occur, the batteries of the corresponding mobile radio communication devices contributing to the tailback detection service are also not loaded more than usual with regard to energy and are thus preserved. Furthermore, due to the fact that no additional communication data occur, there are no additional transaction costs to the users of the mobile radio communication devices.
Furthermore, this provides the advantage that existing base stations do not have to be expensively retrofitted.
The subject matter of a further parallel claim relates in this context to a base station for a mobile radio system. The base station has here a signal measuring device and a signal analyzing device. In this context, the signal measuring device is configured to determine a signal quality of a signal conveyed to the base station and to transmit the determined signal quality to the signal analyzing device. And in this context, the signal analyzing device is configured to carry out a method according to the invention.
By means of the teaching according to the invention, the advantage is achieved that due to the fact that the technology for tailback detection is arranged in the base station and without installing an additional application on a smartphone, tailbacks can be detected by means of mobile radio communication devices, by means of the standard communication naturally occurring between a base station and mobile radio communication devices located within the cell of the base station, as a result of which no additional communication data thus occur and no additional user-specific information can be obtained either, as a result of which the private sphere of persons is not impaired more than legally intended. Due to the fact that no additional communication data occur, the batteries of the corresponding mobile radio communication devices contributing to the tailback detection service are also not loaded more than usual with regard to energy and are thus preserved.
Furthermore, due to the fact that no additional communication data occur, there are no additional transaction costs to the users of the mobile radio communication devices.
Due to the fact that the technology for tailback detection is arranged in the base station, a current tailback detection can take place particularly rapidly and motor vehicles with mobile radio communication devices, driving into the cell, can be informed particularly rapidly about a tailback located in the vicinity.
The subject matter of a further parallel claim here relates to a computer program product for a system according to the invention and/or for a base station according to the invention, wherein the system and/or the base station can be operated in each case in accordance with a method according to the invention.
Due to the teaching according to the invention, the advantage is achieved that the method can be carried out particularly efficiently in an automated manner.
The subject matter of a further parallel claim here relates to a data medium having a computer program product according to the invention.
By means of the teaching according to the invention, the advantage is achieved that the method can be distributed particularly efficiently to the devices and/or systems carrying out the method or kept available, respectively.
Before embodiments of the invention are described more thoroughly in the text which follows, it must be noted firstly that the invention is not restricted to the components described or the method steps described. Furthermore, the terminology used does not represent a restriction either, but is only of an exemplary nature. In as much as the singular is used in the description and claims, it also comprises the plural in each case unless the context explicitly excludes this. Any method steps can be carried out automated unless this is explicitly excluded by the context.
In the text which follows, further exemplary embodiments of the method according to the invention will be explained.
According to a first exemplary embodiment, the method also shows that the determining of the signal quality information takes place for each mobile radio communication device connected to the base station, based on a corresponding Reference Signal Receive Power and/or based on a corresponding Sounding Reference Signal of the corresponding mobile radio communication device.
A Reference Signal Receive Power in the sense of the invention can then be the average of the linear amount of power of the resource elements which achieve the cell-specific reference signals within the measurement frequency bandwidth considered and defined. As a rule, the cell-specific reference signal R0 according to 3GPP “TS 36.211” can be used.
A Sounding Reference Signal in the sense of the invention can then be a reference signal for determining the channel quality of an uplink path for each subsection or frequency region.
This embodiment has the advantage that no additional information to those which are necessary for operating the mobile radio network have to be exchanged in order to measure the signal quality. Accordingly, no additional energy is required in the mobile radio communication device and there are also no additional data costs for the user of the mobile radio communication device.
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the method also comprises: determining of mobile radio communication devices located in the tailback, based on a selection from a tailback determining group, the tailback determining group exhibiting: the signal quality information determined, the signal quality map provided, direction-of-movement information for each mobile radio communication device connected to the base station and speed-of-movement information for each mobile radio communication device connected to the base station. And the determining of the probability density function then takes place based on the mobile radio communication devices located in the tailback.
A mobile radio communication device located in the tailback, in the sense of the invention, can then be a mobile radio communication device which is located in a traffic tailback. A mobile radio communication device which is in a spatial vicinity of other mobile radio communication devices on a road and does not or only slowly changes its position in a correspondingly large time interval can be considered as being in the tailback.
This embodiment has the advantage that a tailback or respectively a start of a tailback and/or a tailback limit can be determined for each cell of a cellular mobile radio network by which means the precision of prediction or precision of determination can be increased.
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the method also comprises that each signal quality information item of each mobile radio communication device connected to the base station has information with respect to a signal quality in a time interval.
A time interval in the sense of the invention can then be a correspondingly long and concluded, constant period of time.
This embodiment has the advantage that corresponding intervals can be determined as a result of which a prediction or determination, respectively, of a tailback area can take place more precisely and more dynamically.
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the method also comprises that the time interval is identical for all corresponding mobile radio communication devices.
This embodiment has the advantage that the more precise and dynamic prediction or determination, respectively, of a tailback area can take place in a simpler manner since the mathematical complexity can be reduced by fixed intervals for all mobile radio communication devices in a cell.
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the method also comprises that the providing of the signal quality map for the cell of the base station of the mobile radio system exhibits: determining of the signal quality map on the basis of a gain of a channel of the mobile radio system and/or based on received signal quality information of corresponding mobile radio communication devices connected to the base station, in each case in dependence on a location within the cell of the base station.
This embodiment has the advantage that the signal quality map becomes dynamically determinable.
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the method also exhibits determining the direction-of-movement information for each mobile radio communication device connected to the base station. In this context, each corresponding direction-of-movement information item exhibits information about a direction of movement of the corresponding mobile radio communication device. And the determining of the direction-of-movement information takes place for each mobile radio communication device connected to the base station on the basis of the signal quality map and in this context, the determining of mobile radio communication devices located close to one another locally additionally takes place based on the direction-of-movement information determined.
This embodiment has the advantage that the prediction or determination, respectively, of a tailback can take place even more precisely since it can thus be determined in which direction of travel a tailback arises or exists.
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the method also exhibits determining of the speed-of-movement information for each mobile radio communication device connected to the base station. In this context, each corresponding speed-of-movement information item exhibits information about a speed of movement of the corresponding mobile radio communication device. And in this process, the speed-of-movement information for each mobile radio communication device connected to the base station is determined based on a corresponding Doppler shift, of a corresponding signal sent by the corresponding mobile radio communication device to the base station.
This embodiment has the advantage that the prediction or determination, respectively, of a tailback can take place even more precisely since it is thus possible to determine in which direction of travel a tailback arises or exists.
Furthermore, it has the advantage that the direction of travel of a motor vehicle can be determined in a simple manner with a corresponding mobile radio communication device inside the vehicle.
In accordance with a first exemplary embodiment, the base station also has a speed determining device for determining a speed of movement for each mobile radio communication device connected to the base station.
This embodiment has the advantage that the prediction or determination, respectively, of a tailback can take place even more precisely since it can thus be determined in which direction of travel a tailback arises or exists.
A further advantage is that it can be determined even more precisely whether a vehicle is in a tailback since vehicles which are moving forward with a high speed cannot be located in a tailback.
The invention thus allows very precise tailback areas to be determined in that standard information transmitted within a cell of a cellular mobile radio network can be evaluated correspondingly by mobile radio communication devices located therein.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.